The Minnesota Lynx are playing incredible basketball.
It seems odd to say that most people did not expect the Lynx, who finished with a WNBA-best 34-10 record last year, to get off to a hot start. But expectations had to be tempered at least a little bit with All-Star forward and face of the franchise Napheesa Collier still recovering from two offseason ankle surgeries.
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In hindsight, expectations should have been adjusted the moment the Lynx drafted Olivia Miles with the No. 2 overall pick in April. She seemed like the perfect point guard for head coach Cheryl Reeve’s system on paper, and she is playing like the best point guard in the WNBA through her first 15 games.
Miles erupted for a career-high 31 points on 12-for-15 (80%) shooting from the field in the Lynx’s 99-83 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night. In doing so, it became undeniable that Miles is not only a lock to win Rookie of the Year, but also a legitimate candidate for WNBA MVP.
According to the Lynx, Miles has scored the most points by any guard in her first 15 career games since 2006, and her 24 first-half points against L.A. are the most by a rookie in recorded WNBA history.
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Sports Illustrated fact checker Dan Falkenheim relayed on X that Miles’ 485 points generated are the most points generated by any player in the first 15 games of a rookie season in WNBA history.
Dallas Wings All-Star guard Paige Bueckers, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, is second with 472.
Indiana Fever All-Star guard Caitlin Clark, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick, is third with 449.
Generally speaking, I loathe player comparisons. Athletic careers take different shapes at different times. One player may win because they were lucky enough for a winning organization to draft her, while another may be just as individually excellent but don’t benefit from organizational excellence.
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That said, Miles may force some uncomfortable conversations about the best young guard in the league soon, especially if her arrival coincides with the Lynx winning their first WNBA title since 2017.
Think this is hyperbolic? Keep scrolling.
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